Louder Than a Bomb, the nation’s largest team-based youth poetry slam, is celebrating its ten year anniversary! This season, LTAB has brought together over 650 teens from not only Chicago itself, but suburbs and rural areas throughout Illinois and Northwestern Indiana. These young writers will compete in a slam comprised of 60 different teams, performing their poetry, stories and spoken word to a projected audience of over 6500 people.  Preliminary rounds began this past Monday, February 22nd, and continue through Sunday, Februrary 28th, at Columbia College; finals will take place Saturday, March 6th, at 6 PM, at the Vic Theater.

If a crop of talented young writers this big leaves you unsure of who to root for, consider waving your pom-poms for the Walter Payton team, led by StoryStudio’s own Creative Writing I instructor (Saturday section), Cecilia Pinto! The Payton team competes Friday, February 26th at 4 PM, at 1104 S Wabash, and again on Saturday, February 27th at 12 PM, at 623 S. Wabash. Good luck, guys!

For more information about Louder Than A Bomb, including ticket prices and a detailed schedule, please check out the event listing on the Chicago Public Radio website, or the event’s home at YoungChicagoAuthors.org.

Many congratulations to all the writers participating this year!